Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1887-02-25
OHIO In EARLY DAYS.
The Fate of Logan, the Friend of
the White Man.
Early Bridge BuiIding-Bricf but Brilliant
Career of the Author of the Consiitu-
tlon.

AT meeting Of tho State Association Of ndvil
Engineers recently there was great deal OF In
torest manifested on the subject OF early bridge
building, and through the courtesy OF G. u.
Cook, ESQ, City Engineer OF Chillicotho, am
nble to present picture and accurate descrip'
tion OF the first long span bridge built west OF
Pennsylvania,
This structure was erected across the Scioto
river at the northern limits OF the city OF Chilli
Gothic in the years 1s1617, and It may claim the
interest of Ohio engineers us being the first or
Oldest long-span bridge in the State, II not the
first bridge of any Importance built west of the
Allegheny mountains
This bridge was built by COMPANY ofnve ctl.
zons OF Chillicothe, viz; Humphrey Fullerton,
John Carlisle, John M. Landburg John Wnddlc
and Joseph Miller, ST., who by an act of tho Gem
eral Assembly, passed February s. 1915, were
duly authorized to erect toll.bridge over the
Scoto river at Chillicothe, o.; was opened for
trafllc November il, 1917, and was in continuous
use until August, 1868.
The rates OF toll were: For foot passengers
eli cents; for horsemen, 12h cents for wagons,
80 cents; but the citizens OF Chillicothe and
vicinity were charged only halfrate of above
rates.
Tho writer has been unable to ascertain the
cost of the original BRIDGE but as an approx
nation IL is known that In 1921 the one-flfrh in
terest in it was sold for $3.50, Mt which rate the
entire valuation would be sla,250.
1t was continued as u toll bridge until prob
nbly 1897, when it was purchased by the county
and made free bridge.
No extensive repairs were needed or made
on the original structure until after the year
1868, during which year, owing 10 the unequal
settling of one of the piers and the tendency OF
the tTusses to depart from the vertical positive
apprehension was entertained of its safety, and
q civil engineer employed to examine its con-
dition He reported II to be In an unsafe cond-
tion and recommended its instant removal
This was not done, however, nor were any re-
pairs made until 1867, owing to q question Of
the legal liability for the repairs between the
county and the officers OF a turnpike company
who used 1t for carrying their road over the
river
In the latter year ds60 repairs were made, Mt
nm expense of nearly $500, in regulating the pier,
which had settled, restoring the trusses to an
upright position, putting in new cross bracing,
etc. considerable portion of the above sum,
however, was expended IN the repairs Of n third
span, which had been added to the original
bridge, in about 1910.
Since that time the bridge had remained, with
more or less doubt expressed as to its stability,
until last year, when another alarm was raised
against the safety OF the "old BRIDGE Another
examination was made, and, upon its being re-
ported unsafe, the county decided to remove the
superstructure and replace IL by an iron bridge.
which has been done during the last season.
The original structure consisted of two spans,
each being 150 feet inches long on the chords;
in each span were three trusses, placed twelve
feet four inches apart, forming double road
way.
AT the southern end the roadway was on
level with the high bank of the river; at the
northern end the approach was by long
wooden trestle, which was removed about 1910
and replaced by the third span (seen at the left
on the accompanying engraving) and by an en-
bankment